Razor-blade holder



H. B. YOUNG.

RAZOR BLADE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 4, 1916.

Patented July 8, 1919.

HARRY IB. YOUNG, F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

RAZOR-BLADE HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1919.

Application filed March 4, 1916. Serial No. 82,107.

. To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY B. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Razor- Blade Holders, of which the following is a specification.

I My invention relates to special receptacles and packages, and its object is to provide a simple and economically constructed holder for the blades of safety razors before and after the blades are used, and which will not expose the blades to injury either while they are being inserted in the holder or while they are therein, or -while they are being removed from the holder.

My invention consists in the combination of parts and in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will herein be more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention, and adapted to hold razor blades which have two sharp edges, the holder or'package being represented as filled with blades and as being closed;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the holder or package with one side opened;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical longitudinal I section of the device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 on a plane corresponding to the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section of the same on a plane COIIGSPOIldlIlg' to the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of' a holder or package embodying a modification of my invention, and being shown as opened at one side, andwith all but one of the blades removed from that side;

Fig. 6 is a'partial perspective view similar to Fig. 5 showing a further modification Fig. 7 is a perspective view on a reduce scale, showing the single piece of sheet material of which the device, as shown in Fig. 6, is omposed, and showing said sheet partially folded in all of its various folds; and

Fig. 8 is a partial perspective view similar to Fig. 7 but showin the sheet of material comprised in the evice as shown in Figs. 1v to 4, inclusive.

My invention in 1ts most complete embodi- 5 ment, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, is

ing edges, these will come 1n especially designed for holding razor blades 1, each of which has opposite straight and parallel edges 2 and 8 and arc-shaped ends 4, .as is best seen in Fig. 3, where parts of such blades are shown in elevation. These blades are largely used, and therefore, of course, are well known. It .will be understoodthat the paramount object of my invention, whatever the kind of blade to be held, is to avoid contact of any substance except the air of the atmosphere with any sharpened edge of the blade at any time after it is sharpened. Therefore, when the blade has two opposite sharpened edges 2 and 3, it is necessary to support the blade either by its fiat side or by its end or by both.

The above conditions are met by giving to a single elongated strip of sheet material 5, preferably paper or cardboard, a series of transverse parallel folds 6 alternately in opposite directions, so that alternately upwardly and downwardly opening parallel pockets 7 are formed between the adjacent folds 6. The distance between each two adjacent folds- 6 is somewhat more than half the width of the blade 1; and thus each pocket 7 is adapted to receive the greater part of the blade edgewise therein. Of course, with merely such a fold and nothing to support the blade 1 at its fiat sides or its ends, the blade will merely rest its lower sharp edge 3 against the bottom of the pocket; .or, in the case of the inverted pockets, would fall out of them, and if any covering means has been brought over the projectcontact with the covering means.

Therefore, I provide the folds 6 of such ample radius as to afi'ord the required spacing between the blades to permit each blade to be readily grasped by the thumb and finger; while at the same time bringing the parts of the material near the folds into such intimate contact with the flat sides of the respective blades as to have considerable friction therewith and thus clamp the blades with sufficient tightness to prevent them readily moving about in the package, either sidewise or edgewise.

- The most definite provision for this is as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. where one stretch of material between the adjacent folds 6, has, about midway of the stretch, a compoundfold 8, that of each ad acentstretch being in opposite direction tothat of the other; Thus, for about half of the depth of the pocket the sheet material has intimate contact with the respective flat side of the blade. Since the effect "of the friction is proportional to the area 'over which it is ex erted, this holds the blades somewhat more firmly than they are held with the mere simple folds 6.

However, it will be understood that, even with the simple folds, the bringing of the sheet material up into position causes considerable bulging, in opposite directions, of thestretches of material between the folds 6, such that, \vhen the parts are pressed together and fastened, by their pressures against each other they'afi'ord a considerably extended area of contact against the flat sides of the inserted blades. It will therefore be understood that these compound folds are not essential to the practical operation of my invention.

To give positive support to the ends-t of the blades 1, I prefer to-iusert a strip 9. of

o somewhat hard material, such as Wood,

across the ends of all of the pockets 7 in a channel cut in the edges of the stretches of material that form the sides of the pockets, and about midway of the extent of these stretches. Thus, the strip 9 presents its inner edges downwardly and upwardly in the respective downwardly and upwardly opening pockets 7 slightly above the middle of each best seen in Fig. 3.

pocket and at each end of the pocket, as is As before stated, the depth of the pocket is somewhat more than half the depth of the blade 1; and therefore this arrangement of the stri p 9 is such that with the pockets having their lengths properly proportioned with respect to the length of the blades,-

(which of course is governed by the width of the strip used.) there will be a contact ofeach end 4 of the blade 1 with the adjacent end of the strip 9 at the respective end somewhat below the center line of the blade. Thus, a slight segment of the end part of the blade bounded by the arc-shaped edge .4 extends over the strip 9 and limits downward movement of the blade 1 the pocket, so that the lower edge 3 cannot make contact with the bottom of the pocket. This of course refers to the set of pockets 7 that open upwardly. However, it'will be understood that the package, when inverted,

will reverse the relation of the pockets, and this would then apply to the other set of pockets 7 In either case, when the'pockets have their o'ienin s downward the blades 1 are kept from sliding down out of the pockets by the friction with the. flat sides of the blades as above described. 7 Also it will be understood that this side friction prevents algewise tilting of the blades 1. in the pockets-which might result in con- 1 tact of the corners of the blades with the bottoms of the pockets even with the positive end supports afforded by the strips 9.

As shown in Figs. 1 to a, and as best seen in Fig. 4, the first downwardly opening pocket 7 at the left and the first upwardly opening pocket 7 at the right is of such increased depth that its material extends out past the exposed end of the blade that is in the next upwardly or downwardly opening pocket 7, as the case may be, this, of course, being accomplished 'by spacing the bottom fold 6 an increased distance from the next adjacent fold 6. The reason for this will be made clear after a description of the relation of the lids or covers to the other parts.

To form these lids or covers in one piece with the folds that form the pockets, the strip of sheet material has extensions 10 past the last fold 6 to about the depth of the pockets, where there are transverse folds 11. These formnarrow additional pockets 12. From these folds 11 there are further stretches 13 of the sheet material well past the exposed edges of the blades as held in the pockets, then with folds 14 and stretches 15 of the material across the exposed edges and over the projecting folds 6 of the pockets 7, then bending down thereover with folds 16, and terminating inflaps 17 which are inserted in the narrow additional pockets 12, to hold the lid or cover thus formed by these various stretches and folds in its closed position toprotect the outer edges of the blades 1.

It will now be seen that the deeper pockets 7, projecting their folds 6 past the outer edges of the adjacent blades, afford resting places for the covers when they are closed; and, what is more important, they form fenders that prevent engagement of the flaps of the covers with said edges when opening or closing the package; and they likewise prevent engagement of the fingers with these edges in opening or closing the package or while reaching for the blades to remove them from the package or holder.

The entire structure may be bound together by a band 18- passing along the'outersides of the stretches forming the narrow additional pockets 12, and across the ends of the folded material midway of the. depressions of the pockets; thereby covering and holding in place the strip 9 at each end of the structure. This band 18 may be a'strip of paper pasted around the other parts, or maybe the well-known adhesive tape, according to the strengthdesired; or any suitable tension element may be substituted for these, across the ends.

It will thus be seen that a 'very compact and simple structure is afforded, having two sets of pockets 7 opening in opposite directions, each with its cover, and accessible by sharp edges. Thus,

the holder orpacka e; holding the blades so t at contact or with "the inner sides of the stretches 15 of the lids or covers.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, there is provisiononly for blades having single the single blade 19 in one of the upper pockets has the single sharp edge 20, and has a back 21, and another variety of blades 22, fillingthe lower pockets, have single sharp edges 23 and modified backs 24. Thus, it is suflicient to simply provide the strip 2'5 of sheet material with alternate folds 26 forming the upwardly and downwardly opening pockets 27, and the backs 21 or 24 of the blades, engaging limit the degree of insertion of the blades into the pockets and hold their edges 20 or 23 away from the bottoms of the. pockets. Also, there being no outer sharp edges to .the blades, it is not necessary to provide the fenders such as formed by the deeper pockets 7 in the preceding example. Neither is it necessary to provide the strips 9 to support the blades at the ends.

It will be noted that, in this example, the

compound folds 8 are also omitted, as was above intimated might be done. It Will be understood, however, that these compound folds would have a function in this modification; as they would afiord more frictional contact with the flat sides of the blades to prevent them from falling out of the pockets when inverted.

Otherwise, this example'is substantially the same as the preceding one in-having the stretch 30 to the fold 31, forming the addi-' tional shallow pocket 32, stretch. 33, fold 34,

the cover, with the flap 37 adapted to enter the pocket 32 to close the package. The somewhatwider strip 38 passes around the outer sides of thestretches that form the pockets 32 and across the ends ofthe pockets, with the ends of the strip 38 pasted together at one side, after the manner'of applying the strip or tape 18 in the preceding example. I

In the further modification shownin Figs.

' v 6' and 7, the formation of the strip of sheet material2 5 is like that shown in. Fig. 5, but its 'stretch30' between the last fold 2'6 and the fold 31 is provided with lateral wings '39 joining them in upright folds 40 and having other upright folds 41; so that these wings 39 are adapted to extend around the ends. and have their terminal parts past the folds 41 secured to the outer side stretch 30 of the pocket 32 at the other end. Thus,

3 these wings take the place of the band 38 or of the band or tape 18 of the preceding examples in forming the tension element;

with the .folds 26, will.

stretch 35, fo1d 36 and flap 37, forming disclosed.

it being understood, however, that ensconstruction is applicable to the preceding examples as well.

' As seen in Fig. 6, there is another kind of blade 42, having a single sharp edge 43 and a slight shoulder 44 at each end; but otherwise without any projection at the back like the blades shown in Fig. 5 or at its end like the double edged blade shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. For properly-supporting these blades, the tension element ma be provided with tabs 45 bent in across the ends of the pockets and engaged by the shoulders 44. As shown in Fig. 6, these tabs 45, of course, form parts of the wings v 39; but it will be understood that they may form parts of the band 38, as shown in Fig. 5; it being necessary only to make the tension elements of this band sufliciently wide to allow the tabs to bend over the ends of the pockets. Where the "holder or package is provided withtabs such as the tabs 45 in either way, as above noted, and it is to receive blades not having shoulders such as the shoulders 44, the tabs may be bent up and merely lie idle along the ends of the blades. It will be obvious that this applies to the example of Figs. 1 to 4, as well as to that of Fig. 5.

Also these tabs 45 become highly useful when the holder is to receive blades like the other blade 46 in Fig. 6, which has its end 47 entirely straight without anyprojection whatever. In this instance, the sheet of which the holder is composed is made of such width relative to the length of the -blade 46 that When the tabs 45 are bent each pocket a little less than the length of the blade 46. Thus, when the blade is pushed down intothe pocket, it will bewed'ged between the tabs and held up in the pocket by' them like they would beheld between a persons thumb and finger. If the holder be made of paper or card-board, the ends of the blade will slightly iiidentthe edges of the tabs 45; which will :add to the holding'efiect. p

It .will'be understood that the pocket structure may be made of a .strip of any suitable material more rigid than paper or card-board," formed afterthe manner above described; as for instance, thin sheet metal. In such instance, however, the cover-parts cannot so conveniently be made integral with the pocket parts;'since the increased stiffness .of the material does not allow the ready hinging of the cover on the other parts, which occurs 'chiefly at the folds 11 or 31, as the case may be, infthe examples Whether the holder be. made of paper or card-board, or metal, or any similar-material, 1t Wlll afford lncreased convenience 1n terial of the holder.

sterilizing the blades after they are 'shar ened. It is only necessary to place the blades in the holder and close the covers; and then place the holder containing the blades in the sterilizing medium; which, as usually employed, will not be injurious to the ma- The medium may freely enter around the blades, even in the most closed form, as shown in Fig. 6. It will be seen that when the holder with the blades therein is removed from the sterilizing medium, it is unnecessary to touch the blades thereafter until they are to be removed from the holder, which, of course, is done by the user. Therefore, with my invention, it is possible to not only sterilize the blades, but to insure that they will not be contaminated between the sterilization and use of them.

As shown herein, the holder is designed to hold twelve blades. However, if only six blades are used, these may all be placed in one set of pockets 7 when sharpened, and

then as they are used and become dull, they may be put in the. pockets of the other set;

thus keeping the dull blades assorted from i the sharp ones and adding to the convenience of use of the blades. This convenience is. increased by providing suitable markings on the outside of the package adjacent to the respective sets of pockets, so as to indicate the condition of the blades therein. Asshown in Figs. Land 7 both words Dull and 5 Sharp are printed on the outside of the cover; either one to be canceled accordingly as the other is to be the correct indication.

Also as shown in Fig. 5 and 7, the inside of the cover may bear any desired markings, such as directions for proper care of the blades; or a label to receive the name and address of the owner of the blades when he sends them in the holder or package, tobe sharpened.

It is to facilitate the packing and handling of the blades in having them sharpened, that my invention is especially designed.

Also, the establishments for sharpening razor blades are "generally conducted in conjunction with more imposing ones; such as drug stores, hardware stores, and other retail establishments; and while my invention makes it possible to deliver the sharpened blades in more perfect condition to the customer; it also afl'ords an excellent means of advertising the main establishment with which the sharpening businessis associated; such advertisements being placed on the inneriii" outer-sides of the cover.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

of parallel blade-holding pockets having sets of pockets, and

sides gripping the fiat sides of the blades to hold the edges of the blades away from the bottoms of the pockets.

2. A razor-blade holder having a series of parallel blade-holding pockets, a cover for saidpockets, and a fender to hold said cover away from the edges of the blades.

3. A razor-blade holder-having a series of parallel blade-holding pockets, means to hold the edges of the blades away from the bottoms of the pockets, a cover for said pockets, and a fender to hold said cover away from the edges of the blades.

, 4. A razor-blade holder having two sets of parallel blade-holding pockets opening in opposite directions, and having sides gripping the fiat sides of the blades to hold the edges of the blades away from thebottoms of the pockets 5. A razor-blade holder having two sets of parallel blade-holding pockets opening in opposite directions, means to cover the blades in said pockets, and fenders for the respective sets of pockets to hold said means away from the edges of the blades.

6. A razor-blade holder having a series of parallel blade-holding pockets opening in opposite directions, means to hold the edges of the blade away from the bottoms of the pockets, means to cover, said blades in said pockets, and fenders for the respective sets of pockets to hold said means away from the edges of the blades.

7. A razor-blade holder having two sets of parallel pockets opening in opposite directions, distinct covers for the respective sets of pockets, and means distinct from said covers, holding the sides of said pockets close together whereby said pockets are adapted to hold razor blades.

8. A razor-blade holder having two sets of parallel blade-holding pockets opening in opposite directions, covers for the respective fenders for the respective sets of pockets to hold said covers a ay from the edges of the blades.

9. A razor-blade holder having a. series of parallel blade-holding pockets, andmeans projecting inwardly of said pockets at their ends to make contact with end parts of the blades and support the blades in the pockets with their edges held away from the bottoms of the pockets. 1

10. A razor-blade holder having a series of parallel blade-holding pockets, and means projecting inwardly across the ends of the openings of the pockets to make contact with end parts of the blades held in the pockets hinged to said pockets, adjacent to the other terminal pocket of the series.

12. A razor-blade holder having two sets of pockets, hinged to said pockets, adjacent to the other terminal pockets of the respec-' tivesets.

13. A razor-blade holder having a series of parallel blade-holding pockets, a fender for the blades, adjacent to and projecting past the opening of a terminal one of said series of pockets, and means projecting inwardly of said pockets at their ends to make contact with end parts of the blades and supporting the blades in the pockets with their edges held away from the bottoms of the pockets.

14. In a razor-blade holder, a single elongated strip of sheet material having alternately oppositely directed transverse pocketforming folds with the stretches of said material'between said folds brought close together, and means permanently holding said stretches of material close together whereby a series of blade-holding pockets is formed.

15. In a razor-blade holder, a single elongated strip of sheet material having alternately oppositely directed transverse pocketforming folds with the stretches of said material between said folds brought close together, means holding said stretches togther whereby a series of blade-holding pockets is formed, and means projecting inwardly of said pockets at their ends to make contact with end parts of the blades and support the blades in the pockets.

16. In a razor-blade holder, a single elongated strip of sheet material having alternately oppositely directed transverse pocketforming folds, with the stretches of said material between said folds brought close to ether, and each two adjacent ones of said stretches being provided with compound folds in opposite directions respectively, and means holding said stretches together, whereby alternately oppositely opening blade-holding ockets are formed, with the parts of the sides of the pockets near their openings lying closer together than the parts of said sides near the bottoms of the pockets.

17. In a razor-blade holder, a single elongated strip of sheet material having alternately oppositely directed transverse pocketforming folds with the stretches of said material between said folds brought close together, means holding said stretches together whereby a series of blade-holding pockets is formed, said strip being con-.

tinued past the last one of said folds at one end to an additional fold in direction opposite to that of said last fold, thereby forming an additional pocket at that end, a cover hinged to the other end of said series of pockets, and a flap on said cover to enter the additional pocket, whereby said cover is closed, but spaced away from the openings of the respective sets of blade-holding pockets to cover blades held in the pockets.

18. In a razor-blade holder, a single elongated strip of sheet material having alternately oppositely directed transverse-pocketforming folds, with the stretches of said material between said folds brought close together, means holding said stretches together, whereby sets of alternately oppositely opening blade holding pockets are formed, said strip being continued past the last one of said folds at opposite ends in the two sets to an additional fold in direction opposite to that of said last fold, thereby forming additional oppositely opening pockets at each end, covers hinged to the respective other ends of the sets of pockets, and flaps on said covers to enter the additional pockets of the respective sets, whereby said covers are closed, but spaced away from the openings of the respective sets of blade holding pockets to cover the blades held in the pockets.

19. In a razor-blade holder, a single elongatedstrip of sheet material having alternately oppositely directed transverse pocketforming folds with the stretches of said material between said folds brought close together, and means holding said stretches together whereby blade-holding pockets are formed, said strip being continued past the last one of said pocket-forming folds at one end, to an additional fold in direction opposite to that of said last pocket-forming fold, thereby formingan additional pocket at that end, and having an extension at its other end past the pocket-forming folds,

then across these folds and then downward,

with a flap to enter said additional pocket, whereby a cover is formed and spaced away from the openings of the blade-holding pockets to cover blades held in the pockets.

20. In a razor-blade holderl a single elongated strip of sheet material having alternately oppositely directed transverse folds with the stretches of said material between the folds brought close together, and means holding said stretches together, whereby blade-holding pockets are formed, said strip being continued past the. last one of said pocket-forming folds at each end, to an additional fold in direction opposite to that of the last pocket-forming fold at that end, thereby forming an additional pocket at each end, then continuing back along the material between said folds brought close forming folds,

" sitely-opening formed, the folds next to the last pocket- P gether whereby a series of together, means holding said stretches topockets is formed, said strip also having a fold next to the last pocket-forming fold at one end spaced away from said last pocketforming fold farther than the spacing of the other folds, to form a fender for the outer edges ofblades held in the pockets, and a. cover for said pockets.

22. In a razor-blade holder, a single elongated strip of sheet material having alternately oppositely directed transverse pocketwith the stretches of said material between said folds brought close together, means holding said stretches together, whereby sets of alternately oppoblade-holding pockets are forming folds at opposite ends in the two sets being spaced away from the respective ones of said last pocket-forming folds and from the next adjacent folds on their other sides farther than the spacing of the other folds, whereby the terminal pocket is deeper than the rest of the pockets in the set in such proportion as to extend past and to form a fender for the outer edges of blades held in the other set of pockets, and covers for said sets of pockets.

23. In a razor-blade holder, a single elongated strip of sheet material having alternately oppositely directed transverse pocketforming folds with the stretches of said material between said folds brought close together, means holding said stretches together whereby a series of blade-holding pockets is formed, said past the lastvone of said folds. at one end to an additional fold in direction opposite to that of said last fold, thereby forming an whereby covers are formedv blade-holding strip being continued additional pocket at that end, a cover hlnged to the other end of said series of pockets, a flap on said cover to enter the additional pocket, whereby said cover is nately oppositely directed transverse pocketforming folds, with the stretches of said material between said folds brought close together, means holding said stretches .together, whereby sets of alternately oppositely opening blade-holding pockets are formed, said strip being continued pastthe last one of said folds at opposite ends in the two sets to an additional fold in directlon opposite to that of said last fold, thereby forming additional oppositely open ing pockets at each end, covers hinged to the respective other ends of the sets of pockets, flaps on said covers to enter the additional pockets of the respective sets whereby said covers are closed, but spaced away from the openings of the respective sets of blade-holding pockets to cover the blades held in the pockets, the ocket-forming fold next to said last pocket-fbrming fold in each set being spaced away from said last pocketforming fold and from the next adjacent pocket-forming fold on its other side farther than the spacing of the other pocket-forming folds, whereb jacent to each a ditional pocket is deeper than the rest ofthe pockets in the set in such proportion as to extend past and to form a fender for the outer edges of blades held in the other set of pockets.

HARRY B. YOUNG.

the terminal pocket ad- 

